Lazaro Becerra

Lazaro Becerra is a two-time Norwich grad with an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice in 2014 and an MBA in 2025.

What inspired you to pursue an MBA, and why did you choose Norwich University Online?

I completed my undergraduate studies at Norwich in 2014. At the time, I was happy to have a bachelor's degree and didn't see school anytime in the future. Fast forward about nine years later, and I’m here working as a talent acquisition for Raytheon. I learned about their employee scholar program, which helps Raytheon employees collaborate with major schools. It essentially covers the cost for the employee, and I thought it was a great benefit. Even with it being free, I still wasn't sure if it was right for me.

Truthfully, it was tough to think about returning to school while working full-time. At that time, I was traveling a good amount for work and participating in many different events. I was worried about how flexible an MBA program would be.

I was already familiar with Norwich and saw that they offered a fairly flexible online program that allowed students who work in a rigorous career or have a busy lifestyle to complete their degree.

I wanted something to be related to my field within HR. When I saw that Norwich had a concentration on organizational leadership, I thought that'd be essentially a slam dunk for me to continue to grow in my career as well. I applied and was accepted, which felt great. Throughout the program, the classes were great and the biggest thing for me was just flexibility.

Is Norwich highlighted as one of the partner schools with Raytheon because it's a senior military college?

Yes, it was highlighted as a partner school for us, which was great and helped make everything seamless on my end and, I suppose, on Norwich’s end as well.

What is your undergraduate degree in?

My undergraduate degree is in criminal justice and in Spanish.

You mentioned the concentration on organizational leadership; how does that align with your career goals and where do you see it taking you?

I think it'll help me pivot myself into a larger leadership role over the next couple of years at Raytheon. It allows me to grow and most importantly, see things from a different perspective. We had a course on strategic leadership, and another was on leading change. The discourse in those courses helped solidify the foundation of things I only had a top-down view of. They allowed me to see things from a different perspective, even though I am already a leader. I've been leading projects, and it's good to learn more about leading people.

Was there a particular course or professor during your studies that really made an impact?

I'd say my last course with Doctor Lazar was interesting because our names are almost the same. He was an overall great professor, but I really liked his perspective on leadership. He says it’s not as black and white as people think. Leaders need to adapt to everyone they lead individually. For me, Dr. Lazar made everything click. He really encouraged me to investigate the grey [between the black and white]. His course expanded my thinking on how to adapt to people and change as a leader.

Do you feel that the way Norwich provides online education is well-suited for someone with a full plate (work and family)?

Yes. I’ve used two different platforms for online education at Norwich. First Moodle and then Brightspace. Both platforms always offered the ability for me to access and complete my work. For example, occasionally, when traveling, I would not have my laptop. I was able to access my coursework on my iPad, which was much more convenient. It gave me the flexibility to use multiple different platforms when on the go.

Most importantly, the schedule is great. Everything is focused on a week-to-week basis. All my professors were great with announcing everything on Sundays.  They would give a breakdown of what the week’s expectations were and what you could expect from them. Whether you had time on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday, it was up to you to decide when to do your work.

A lot of other programs, even the ones local to me in New Jersey, offered more of a hybrid approach. For me personally, that didn't fit with my schedule. Norwich’s MBA program attracts individuals who have busy schedules, families, etc., and can appreciate online classes and their flexibility.

Was the workload manageable and was it consistent or more of an ebb and flow?

It was an ebb and flow for sure. Prior knowledge of a topic dictates how many hours you need to put in. For example, I took a managerial finance course where there were a lot of new things to learn. I was able to learn a lot about using Excel during that course, but it took me more hours than my other courses. There were other courses that were not necessarily easy but were certainly less time-consuming. Some weeks are harder than others, and some classes have more coursework or reading, but overall, it was very manageable.

You mentioned Raytheon's employee scholar program. Did it cover your tuition and fees?

Yes, it covered classes, books, fees, everything. After each class, I submitted a form to Raytheon, and they provided a voucher.

Is everybody at Raytheon eligible for this program or are there requirements?

Almost everyone is eligible. To take advantage, you need to be a full-time employee for at least six months. Additionally, the degree you go after has to be aligned with your field or position at Raytheon.  As I am in HR, I was qualified to get an MBA through the program. There’s a limit every year but it is very generous.

When I found out about it, I took a look at my situation. I don't have any kids yet and my wife already has a master's degree. She encouraged me to take advantage of the opportunity and do it.

Let’s talk about group work at Norwich. How do you feel group assignments were executed?

Pretty well. The instructors did a great job of portraying the objective whether it was a presentation, a paper, or a combination of both. They outlined the requirements and then allowed us to be essentially autonomous. In groups, we would set up our own meetings in Zoom and structure everything ourselves. When you have a group project, your only midweek requirement is to let the professor know who is doing what.

What would you want Raytheon employees to know about the Scholar Program, and why should they choose Norwich Online?

I think the program speaks for itself. Overall, it’s an opportunity they need to take advantage of, whether it's completing their bachelor's degree, a master's degree, or a certificate. I know that Norwich offers a lot of certificates online.

As for Norwich, I think it comes down to flexibility and peace of mind where you know everything is broken down very clearly on a weekly basis and your objective is laid out from day one. If you’re traveling on Monday or Tuesday, that's ok, since you still have Wednesday through Saturday at midnight. The professors were all phenomenal and they all took pride in their work and pride in their students. I've never had an issue with a professor answering a question (even if it wasn’t a great question). Everyone was great overall, and I highly recommend Norwich for that flexibility.

How important do you think continuing education is for those in Human Resources?

Even though it’s not a requirement, I think it is a huge benefit. For me, learning means consistently growing both professionally and personally. I never previously had an interest in continuing my education but it's one of those things that if you have the time and ability to do so, you do it. The evolution of constantly learning something new is going to be tremendous. Especially higher up in the ranks of leadership roles, you tend to see more folks with a master's degree.

If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice before starting your MBA, what would it be?

Prioritize getting things done early in the week. There were many weeks where I began my week off strong, and it was great. Then there were other weeks where I didn't have the motivation, especially towards the end. If I could, I’d tell myself to be consistent.

You were familiar with Norwich when selecting a graduate degree, but what drew you to Norwich for your undergrad?

I picked Norwich for the corps of cadets. I wanted to join the military, and I figured there was no better way than to go to Norwich. I remember going up there [to Vermont] in May of my senior year and I just fell in love with the campus and the program itself. I figured, why not go to the oldest private military college right where they have the full gamut? Whether it was the Army ROTC, Navy, Air Force, you name it. Also, the structure was appealing to me. Going to Norwich, you get those [Norwich] values. Although I was unable to serve in the military, I still feel happy where I am today in my role and in the defense industry.  

Did you do all four years in the Corps of Cadets?

Yes, I did. All four in the corps. I was a member of the drill team, the Shock platoon, and the Honor Committee as well. My time in the corps is what drove me to stay in the defense industry. When I got into recruiting, I didn't really know where to go. When I started recruiting in defense, I loved it, and it felt like going back to my Norwich roots. 
Any final thoughts?

It was worth it. Honestly, writing and everything aside, I think it was worth it. It's hard, and it took me a while to really ground myself while working full-time. But you learn how to prioritize and find that “groove,” and before you know it, you graduate.